Coffee Write: Cold Brew, Nitro, And What’s Next

Coffee Write: Your Daily Brew Of News And Views

Coffee, Right? From morning rituals to industry insights, we’re here to serve up the perfect blend of caffeinated conversation. Whether you’re a coffee rite of passage purist or exploring new brewing horizons, join us as we explore everything that fills your favorite mug or glass.

Walk into coffee shops across Northeast Ohio these days and you’ll see something that would have puzzled coffee drinkers just a decade ago: sleek taps dispensing coffee like beer, towering glass containers steeping grounds for hours, and customers eagerly ordering iced coffee in the middle of winter.

The cold brew revolution has transformed how Northeast Ohio drinks its daily dose of caffeine, moving far beyond the simple iced coffee of yesteryear. What started as a niche brewing method has become a multi-billion dollar industry segment, and local cafes are embracing the trend with their own unique approaches.

The Cold Truth About Cold Brew

Cold brew isn’t just hot coffee poured over ice. The process involves steeping coarse coffee grounds in room temperature or cold water for 12 to 24 hours, creating a concentrate that’s smoother, less acidic, and naturally sweeter than traditional hot-brewed coffee.

This slow infusion extracts the coffee’s flavor compounds while leaving behind most of the acids that can make coffee taste bitter. Because cold brew uses a concentrated coffee base, it typically packs more caffeine than a standard cup of coffee.

Enter The Nitrogen

Just when coffee lovers thought cold brew was the ultimate innovation, nitro coffee arrived on the scene. By infusing cold brew with nitrogen gas through specialized tap systems similar to those used for beer, cafes create a creamy, cascading beverage that looks like a dark Guinness and tastes impossibly smooth.

Six Shooter Coffee in Cleveland has gained attention for their “amazing nitro coffee” with “flavored selections of nitro coffee they have on tap” including creative flavors like cereal milk. Ready Set Coffee in Cleveland’s Gordon Square neighborhood offers customers “a relaxing place to enjoy a nitro cold brew or a seasonal espresso beverage.”

Ready Set Coffee features unique specialty drinks such as the Cloudburst, described as “a nitro latte with agave-sweetened froth.”

In Akron, Nervous Dog Coffee Bar offers “nitrogen-infused brews” among their diverse menu options. The nitrogen creates tiny bubbles that give the coffee a creamy mouthfeel without adding dairy, making it popular with lactose-intolerant customers and those seeking a naturally sweet coffee experience.

What’s Brewing Next

Coffee industry experts predict several trends that could reshape how we drink our daily cup:

Flash Brewing involves brewing hot coffee directly over ice, creating a hybrid that captures hot brewing’s flavor extraction with cold coffee’s refreshing temperature. This Japanese-inspired method is starting to appear in specialty coffee shops.

Sparkling Coffee adds carbonation to cold brew, creating a fizzy, refreshing alternative that appeals to soda drinkers looking for caffeine.

Coffee Cocktails blur the line between coffeehouse and bar, with establishments serving cold brew mixed with spirits, bitters, and creative garnishes.

Functional Additions include adaptogens, CBD, protein powder, and other supplements mixed into cold brew bases, targeting health-conscious consumers who want more than just caffeine from their beverage.

The Local Scene

Northeast Ohio’s coffee scene continues to evolve with established roasters and newcomers bringing fresh perspectives. Phoenix Coffee Co. has been roasting coffee in Cleveland for more than 25 years and now has six cafe locations across the city, while Rising Star Coffee has grown rapidly since 2012 to seven locations around Cleveland.

In Akron, established spots like Akron Coffee Roasters offer specialty coffee roasted in-house, while Nervous Dog Coffee Bar provides multiple locations around Northeast Ohio. The Youngstown area features roasters like Stone Fruit Coffee, which expanded to include stores in Boardman, Canfield, Poland, and YSU campus, roasting beans in-house and naming their coffees after recognizable Youngstown landmarks.

Joe Coffee Company in Twinsburg operates as a family-owned business offering fresh roasted coffee and “a wide variety of hot and cold espresso drinks, frappes, iced teas, refresher drinks, and delicious pastries.” The business, run by Joe Abate and his family, now operates from a plaza location on Route 91, having evolved from their original coffee trailer setup.

In nearby Macedonia, Brews & Blends at 777 East Aurora Road offers protein shakes and coffee beverages along with energy teas and acai bowls. The business is owned by Wibb Enos and Sandra Temes, representing the growing trend of health-focused coffee establishments.

The next time you’re at your favorite local coffee spot, consider stepping outside your comfort zone. That strange-looking tap or towering glass container might just introduce you to your new favorite way to start the morning.